The city is the corporate headquarters of CVS Caremark, a leading integrated pharmacy services provider. It is also home to Landmark Medical Center, St John the Baptist Union, the Museum of Work and Culture and the American-French Genealogical Society. Local Hip-Hop radio station WWKX 106.3 "Hot 106" is licensed to broadcast from Woonsocket. Radio Station WNRI, established in 1954, broadcasts 24 hours daily from its Diamond Hill Road studios. The city has many interesting older buildings including the Pillsbury House Bed and Breakfast at 341 Prospect Street built in 1875. web site: pillsburyhouse.com
Woonsocket is located at 42°0′6″N 71°30′26″W/42.00167°N 71.50722°W/42.00167; -71.50722 (42.001731, -71.507223). The city is located approximately 15 miles North of Providence.
According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 8.0 square miles (20.6 km²), of which, 7.7 square miles (20.0 km²) of it is land and 0.2 square miles (0.6 km²) of it (3.14%) is water. Woonsocket is drained by the Blackstone River. Adjacent communities include: Blackstone, Bellingham, Cumberland, and North Smithfield.
As of the census of 2000, there were 43,224 people, 17,750 households, and 10,774 families residing in the city. The population density was 5,608.8 people per square mile (2,164.6/km²). There were 18,757 housing units at an average density of 2,433.9/sq mi (939.3/km²). The racial makeup of the city was 83.14% White, 4.44% African American, 0.32% Native American, 4.06% Asian, 0.03% Pacific Islander, 4.86% from other races, and 3.14% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 9.32% of the population.
Woonsocket is a part of the Providence metropolitan area, which has an estimated population of 1,622,520.
There were 17,750 households out of which 31.2% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 39.4% were married couples living together, 16.2% had a female householder with no husband present, and 39.3% were non-families. 32.7% of all households were made up of individuals and 12.5% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.37 and the average family size was 3.02.
In the city the population was spread out with 25.8% under the age of 18, 9.2% from 18 to 24, 30.0% from 25 to 44, 19.7% from 45 to 64, and 15.2% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 35 years. For every 100 females there were 91.2 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 86.8 males.
The median income for a household in the city was $30,819, and the median income for a family was $38,353. Males had a median income of $31,465 versus $24,638 for females. The per capita income for the city was $16,223. About 16.7% of families and 19.4% of the population were below the poverty line, including 31.3% of those under age 18 and 14.7% of those age 65 or over.
According to the 2000 census, 46.1% of Woonsocket’s population is identified as being of French or French-Canadian ethnic heritage. The city has referred to itself as La ville la plus française aux États-Unis – the most French city in the United States.